Tuesday

Two days before he walked into a southwest Topeka group home and opened fire — killing his brother and two other men — Josh Gueary fought with his brother at the home, a friend said.

On Friday, Josh Gueary’s young daughter was in the care of his older brother, Larry Gueary. Two other employees at the home for developmentally disabled adults, Jesus Galvez and Soren Galvez, were painting a deck in the back.

When Josh Gueary’s daughter ran out of a garage door and into the street, he became livid at his brother, whom he believed was neglecting the girl. The two men fought, and Josh Gueary went to the home of a close friend, Erick Fletcher, to calm down, Fletcher said.

"He said everything was cool and stayed a few hours," Fletcher said during a phone interview Tuesday morning. "We talked about music."

On that day, Fletcher said, Josh Gueary displayed the paranoia and edginess that friends have seen in him since he returned from the military last year. He often believed someone was chasing him or lurking behind him. When someone knocked on Fletcher’s door, Josh Gueary jumped.

"He wasn’t with it," Fletcher said. "He was paranoid all the time."

Less than a week earlier, Josh Gueary had purchased a black 9 mm handgun. Fletcher knew it was a bad idea but didn’t say anything at the time.

Topeka police Lt. Colleen Stuart said Josh Gueary, 25, used a handgun to kill his brother and the Galvezes — a father and son — Sunday afternoon at 4100 S.W. 28th before turning the gun on himself. A fifth person was injured but is expected to survive.

Pedro Irigonegaray, an attorney for the homeowners, declined to comment on the series of events that led to Sunday’s incident. Authorities haven’t offered a motive for the killings, which have struck a staggering blow to two families and many friends.

"That’s not something he would do," Fletcher said in the interview. "He’s not the type of person to do that. He’s a good dude. He took care of his daughter. He took care of his family. He loved his daughter."

Patrick Jones, a friend of Larry Gueary who knew both brothers, said Larry "was a great father and friend" who should be remembered as "a bright soul" who loved life.

Fletcher believes Josh Gueary feuded with Larry Gueary on Sunday — just as he had that Friday — then grabbed his gun and killed him. In the panic and paranoia that ensued, Josh Gueary then killed the Galvezes and shot the other victim, a resident of the house, before killing himself. Josh Gueary didn’t harbor any animosity toward Jesus and Soren Galvez, according to Fletcher.

He apparently resented his time in the military, telling Fletcher the day before he died, "The Army changed me." The long overtime hours made him feel like a slave, he said. He called enlistment the worst decision of his life, despite the sunny locale to which he was sent — Oahu, Hawaii. Police on Sunday towed a vehicle with Hawaii plates from in front of the house.

"He wasn’t the same Josh after he came back," Fletcher said.

Still, Josh Gueary’s suicide has been a shock to his friends, although the three homicides are even less comprehensible. The former Topeka West High School wrestler had become a mixed martial arts fighter and was training for a fight at the time of his death.

Rebecca Revelle, an MMA fighter who trained with Gueary, said on social media that a hamstring injury had sidelined him for a month, but he returned last Wednesday, four days before the shooting, "really happy and excited about it healing up." Training had been therapeutic for him, she said.

Damon Reed, another fighter, described Gueary as "a very humble kid and a very hard worker" with "lots of athletic ability." Jeryl Denton, who also trained with Gueary, remembered him as a hard worker who spoke of his dream to be a world champion fighter. Posts on a Facebook page for the Topeka Tornadoes Youth Wrestling Club, where he coached, recalled him as "an amazing guy" with "a contagious smile."

Before he died, Josh Gueary advised Fletcher, a rapper, to follow his dreams and use his talents to help military veterans.

"You can make a hell of a whole lot happen," Josh Gueary texted one day. "We can all give back and it would be great for everyone. Just be peaceful … and keep your image clean."

On Monday, Fletcher recorded a song in remembrance, "A Letter to My Brother." In it, he prays for the Gueary family and that God forgives his friend. The song’s chorus: "This is for my brother who had a heart of gold but lost his mind in the struggle."

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.